Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Sindy AKA Barbie's competition in the United Kingdom, was produced in 1963. Sindy resembled another American fashion doll, Tammy, and even shared the same byline, the Doll You Love to Dress. When I was young, Tammy held no appeal for me. Tammy's head was GINORMOUS; she had no sophistication, no mystery. So I would not have thought that Sindy would hold any appeal to me as I grew into my teens because Sindy also had a bulbous big head. BUT Sindy had an exotic appeal that Tammy lacked: Sindy had the British edge.

Think Hammer House of Horror, Dark Shadows, and later Masterpiece Theatre. Goth Glamour. The similarities and the differences between British English and American English intrigued me. So when I saw the Pedigree-by-way-of-Marx brunette Funtime Sindy sometime in 1978 or 1979, well, I was more receptive. Sindy would be my third British-themed doll - Mattel's Twist'n turn Stacey and Mary Quant's Daisy were my first and second.

Sindy's realistic furniture and accessories were added to my collection. Then sometime in the early-mid 2000s, I discovered the Vivid Imaginations Sindy and Mel. Added them to my collection. The Vivid Imaginations Sindy doll had better head proportions although her build remained more youthful, more early teen build than MOST Barbies produced at the same time.

I started a Webshots folder with a Pedigree Sindy outfit. My other Sindy items will be added in the future.